to him that hath-第15节

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forbid　any　trifling　with　loose　management　in　any　department　of　his
plant。　　He　was；　moreover；　too　just　a　man　to　allow　any　of　his
workmen　to　suffer　for　failures　not　their　own。　　His　first　step　was
to　get　at　the　facts。　　His　preliminary　move　was　characteristic　of
him。　　He　sent　for　McNish。

〃McNish；〃　he　said；　〃your　figures　I　have　examined。　　They　tell　me
nothing　I　did　not　know；　but　they　are　cleverly　set　down。　　The　matter
of　wages　I　shall　deal　with　as　I　have　always　dealt　with　it　in　my
business。　　The　other　matter〃　Mr。　Maitland　paused；　then　proceeded
with　grave　deliberation；　〃I　must　deal　with　in　my　own　way。　　It　will
take　a　little　time。　　I　shall　not　delay　unnecessarily；　but　I　shall
accept　dictation　from　no　man　as　to　my　methods。〃

McNish　stood　silently　searching　his　face　with　steady　eyes。

〃You　are　a　new　man　here；　and　I　find　you　are　a　good　workman；〃
continued　Mr。　Maitland。　　〃I　don抰　know　you　nor　your　aims　and
purposes　in　this　Grievance　Committee　business　of　yours。　　If　you
want　a　steady　job　with　a　chance　to　get　on；　you　will　get　both；　if
you　want　trouble；　you　can　get　that　too；　but　not　for　long；　here。〃

Still　the　Scot　held　him　with　grave　steady　gaze；　but　speaking　no
word。

〃You　understand　me；　McNish？〃　said　Maitland；　nettled　at　the　man抯
silence。

〃Aye；　A抳e　got　a　heid；〃　he　said　in　an　impassive　voice。

〃Well；　then；　I　hope　you　will　govern　yourself　accordingly。　　Good…
day；〃　said　Maitland；　closing　the　interview。

McNish　still　stood　immovable。

〃That抯　all　I　have　to　say；〃　said　Maitland；　glancing　impatiently　at
the　man。

〃But　it抯　no　all　A　have　to　say；　if　ye　will　pairmit　me；〃　answered
McNish　in　a　voice　quiet　and　respectful　and　apparently；　except　for
its　Doric　flavour；　quite　untouched　by　emotion　of　any　kind　soever。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Maitland　shortly；　as　the　Scot　stood　waiting。

〃Maister　Maitland；〃　said　McNish；　rolling　out　a　deeper　Doric；　〃ye
have　made　a　promise　and　a　threat。　　Yere　threat　is　naething　tae　me。
As　tae　yere　job；　A　want　it　and　A　want　tae　get　on；　but　A抦　a　free
man　the　noo　an？a　free　man　A　shall　ever　be。　　Good…day　tae　ye。〃　　He
bowed　respectfully　to　his　employer　and　strode　from　the　room。

Mr。　Maitland　sat　looking　at　the　closed　door。

〃He　is　a　man；　that　chap；　at　any　rate；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃but
what抯　his　game；　I　wonder。　　He　will　bear　watching。〃

The　very　next　day　Maitland　made　a　close　inspection　of　his　plant；
beginning　with　the　sawmill。　　He　found　McNish　running　one　of　the
larger　circular　saws；　and　none　too　deftly。　　He　stood　observing　the
man　for　some　moments　in　silence。　　Then　stepping　to　the　workman抯
side　he　said；

〃You　will　save　time；　I　think；　if　you　do　it　this　way。〃　　He　seized
the　levers　and；　eliminating　an　unnecessary　movement；　ran　the　log。
McNish　stood　calmly　observing。

〃Aye；　yere　r…right；〃　he　said。　〃Ye抣l　have　done　yon　before。〃

〃You　just　bet　I　have；〃　said　Maitland；　not　a　little　pleased　with
himself。

〃A抦　no　saw　man；〃　said　McNish；　a　little　sullenly。　　〃A　dinna　kenI
don't　know　saws　of　this　sort。　　I'm　a　joiner。　　He　put　me　off　the
bench。〃

〃Who？〃　said　Maitland　quickly。

〃Yon　manny；〃　replied　McNish　with　unmistakable　disgust。

〃You　were　on　the　bench；　eh？　　What　sort　of　work　were　you　on？〃

〃A　was　daein'　a　bit　counter　work。　　A　wasna　fast　enough　for　him。〃

Mr。　Maitland　called　the　head　sawyer。

〃Put　a　man　on　here　for　a　while；　Powell；　will　you？　　You　come　with
me；　McNish。〃

Together　they　went　into　the　planing　mill。　　Asking　for　the　foreman
he　found　that　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　that　indeed　he　had　not
been　in　the　mill　that　morning。

〃Show　me　your　work；　McNish；〃　he　said。

McNish　led　him　to　a　corner　of　the　mill　where　some　fine　counter　work
was　in　process。

〃That's　my　work；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　piece　of　oak　railing。

Maitland；　turning　the　work　over　in　his　hands；　ran　his　finger　along
a　joint　somewhat　clumsily　fitted。

〃Not　that；〃　said　McNish　hastily。　　〃Ma　work　stops　here。〃

Again　Maitland　examined　the　rail。　　His　experienced　eye　detected
easily　the　difference　in　the　workmanship。

〃Is　there　anything　else　of　yours　about　here？〃　he　asked。　　McNish
went　to　a　pile　of　finished　work　and　from　it　selected　a　small　swing
door　beautifully　panelled。　　Maitland's　eye　gleamed。

〃Ah；　that's　better；〃　he　said。　　〃Yes；　that's　better。〃

He　turned　to　one　of　the　workmen　at　the　bench　near　by。

〃What　job　is　this；　Gibbon？〃　he　asked。

〃It's　the　Bank　job；　I　think；〃　said　Gibbon。

〃What？　　The　Merchants'　Bank　job？　　Surely　that　can't　be。　　That　job
was　due　two　weeks　ago。〃　　Maitland　turned　impatiently　toward　an
older　man。　　〃Ellis；〃　he　said　sharply；　〃do　you　know　what　job　this
is？〃

Ellis　came　and　turned　over　the　different　parts　of　the　work。

〃That's　the　Merchants'　Bank　job；　sir；〃　he　said。

〃Then　what　is　holding　this　up？〃　enquired　Maitland　wrathfully。

〃It's　the　turned　work；　I　think；　sir。　　I　am　not　sure；　but　I　think　I
heard　Mr。　Perrotte　asking　about　that　two　or　three　days　ago。〃　　Mr。
Maitland's　lips　met　in　a　thin　straight　line。

〃You　can　go　back　to　your　saw；　McNish；〃　he　said　shortly。

〃Ay；　sir；〃　said　McNish；　his　tone　indicating　quiet　satisfaction。
At　Gibbon's　bench　he　paused。　　〃Ye'll　no　pit　onything　past　him；　a
doot；〃　he　said；　with　a　grim　smile；　and　passed　out。

In　every　part　of　the　shop　Mr。　Maitland　found　similar　examples　of
mismanagement　and　lack　of　co…ordination　in　the　various　departments
of　the　work。　　It　needed　no　more　than　a　cursory　inspection　to
convince　him　that　a　change　of　foreman　was　a　simple　necessity。
Everywhere　he　found　not　only　evidence　of　waste　of　time　but　also　of
waste　of　material。　　It　cut　him　to　the　heart　to　see　beautiful　wood
mangled　and　ruined。　　All　his　life　he　had　worked　with　woods　of
different　kinds。　　He　knew　them　standing　in　all　their　matchless
grandeur；　in　the　primeval　forest　and　had　followed　them　step　by　step
all　the　way　to　the　finished　product。　　Never　without　a　heart　pang
did　he　witness　a　noble　white　pine；　God's　handiwork　of　centuries；
come　crashing　to　earth　through　the　meaner　growth　beneath　the
chopper's　axe。　　The　only　thing　that　redeemed　such　a　deed　from
sacrilege；　in　his　mind；　was　to　see　the　tree　fittingly　transformed
into　articles　of　beauty　and　worth　suitable　for　man's　use。　　Hence；
when　he　saw　lying　here　and　there　deformed　and　disfigured　fragments
of　the　exquisitely　grained　white　spruce；　which　during　the　war；　he
had　with　such　care　selected　for　his　aeroplane　parts；　his　very　heart
rose　in　indignant　wrath。　　And　filled　with　this　wrath　he　made　his
way　to　the　office　and　straightway　summoned　Wickes　and　his　son　Jack
to　conference。

〃Tony　will　never　make　a　worker　in　wood。　　He　cares　nothing　for　it；〃
he　said　bitterly。

〃Nor　in　anything　else；　Dad；〃　said　Jack；　with　a　little　laugh。

〃You　laugh；　but　it　is　no　laughing　matter；〃　said　his　father
reproachfully。

〃I　am　sorry；　Father；　but　you　know　I　always　thought　it　was　a　mistake
to　put　Tony　in　charge　of　anything。　　Why；　he　might　have　had　his
commission　if　he　were　not　such　an　irresponsible；　downwright　lazy
beggar。　　What　he　needs；　as　my　Colonel　used　to　profanely　say；　is　'a
good　old…fashioned　Sergeant…Major　to　knock　hell　out　of　him'。　　And；
believe　me；　Tony　was　a　rattling　fine　soldier　if　his　officer　would
regularly；　systematically　and　effectively　expel　his　own　special
devil　from　his　system。　　He　needs　that　still。〃

〃What　can　we　do　with　him？　　I　simply　can't　and　won't　dismiss　him；　as
that　infernally　efficient　and　coolheaded　Scot　demands。　　You　heard
about　the　Grievance　Committee？〃

〃Oh；　the　town　has　the　story　with　embellishments。　　Rupert　Stillwell
took　care　to　give　me　a　picturesque　account。　　But　I　would　not
hesitate；　Dad。　　Kick　Tony　a　good　swift　kick　once　a　week　or　so；　or；
if　that　is　beneath　your　dignity；　fire　him。〃

〃But；　Jack；　lad；　we　can't　do　that；〃　said　his　father；　greatly
distressed；　〃after　what〃

〃Why　not？　　He　carried　me　out　of　that　hell　all　right；　and　while　I
live　I　shall　remember　that。　　But　he　is　a　selfish　beggar。　　He　hasn't
the　instinct　for　team　play。　　He　hasn't　the　idea　of　responsibility
for　the　team。　　He　gets　so　that　he　can　not　make　himself　do　what　he
just　doesn't　feel　like　doing。　　He　doesn't　care　a　tinker's　curse　for
the　other　fellows　in　the　game　with　him。〃

〃The　man　that　doesn't　care　for　other　fellows　will　never　make　a
foreman；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　decisively。　　〃But　can't　something　be
done　with　him？〃

〃There's　only　one　way　to　handle　Tony；〃　said　Jack。　　〃I　learned　that
long　ago　in　school。　　He　was　a　prince　of　half…backs；　you　know；　but　I
had　regularly　to　kick　him　about　before　every　big　match。　　Oh；　Tony
is　a　fine　sort　but　he　nearly　broke　my　heart　till　I　nearly　broke　his
back。〃

〃That　does　not　help　much；　Jack。〃　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life
Grant　Maitland　was　at　a　loss　as　to　how　he　should　handle　one　of　his
men。　　Were　it　not　for　the　letter　in　the　desk　at　his　hand　he　would
have　made　short　work　of　Tony　Perrotte。　　But　there　the　letter　lay
and　in　his　heart　the　inerasible　picture　it　set　forth。

〃What　is　the　special　form　that　Tony's　devilment　has　taken；　may　I
ask？〃　enquired　Jack。

〃Well；　I　may　say　to　you；　what　Wickes　knows　and　has　known　and　has
tried　for　three　months　to　hide　from　me　and　from　himself；　Tony　has
made　about　as　complete　a　mess　of　the　organization　under　his　care　in
the　planing　mill　as　can　be　imagined。　　The　mill　is　strewn　wi